I don't do these like I used to, because I don't eat out like I used to. Well, I still eat out, but I usually get it to go because I've found that while eating alone is mildly depressing, eating alone in a restaurant just looks bad. It does really, unless you're at the bar, which looks suspect without a drink, but I've cut drinking to practically a standstill, so now I'm at the bar alone with no drink and plate of food. Trust me, my couch is more comfortable, AND I get to control the remote. But I digress. So out of the blue Serve hits me up about brunch at like 3am on the group chat, and because I'm half sleep I say sure and when I wake up I'm doing brunch.
Yay! Brunch.
So we decide to meet up at Another Broken Egg in Vinings. The restaurant is part of chain and has a location in mid-town as well, but since Serve and I both live on the west side, I figured this was an easier drive. And knowing that there would be a wait of possibly a half hour because Atlanta is a brunch town - and that Serve would be late because the last time few times we did brunch she was late - I went prepared. Making sure the iPad was powered and my Kindle app ready I sallied forth.
The cafe is in a one of those developments that has replaced the mall, you know, a little shopping area with a diverse but carefully homogenized store fronts and odd sized parking lots that allow for shade trees and flowing bushes to hide which spots are taken. It's supposed to encourage walking and fresh air. Bleh. I for one miss the malls and the air-conditioning. Inside the spot is nice though, colorful and surprisingly bright with tables and booths in a L-shaped dining area separated by a free standing bar. It even has a nice veranda on the back which I imagines overlooks one of those wonderfully tricky odd sized parking lots.
I get there and check in, and they have this new app you need to download instead of one of the buzzer things. I'm a little skeptical at first, I hate putting unnecessary crap on my phone, but this one seems useful. It's called NoWait, and it keeps track of the wait times at various local restaurants. It doesn't allow you to check in or anything, but if you're trying to pick a spot I could see where knowing it's a thirty minute wait at Chez Chez La Hongree or that it's an hour at Feed Me Grubhouse would be nice information. Modern technology, eh?
I start reading on the verandah-ish patio space. Serve shows up ten minutes later, well before we're seated - surprising - and we catch up. The usual stuff grown people talk about, career, house, career, plans for the rest of the summer, etc. No, no I'm not smuggling Chinese babies, or want to be a fry cook, or moving to Alaska, nothing like that, no earth shattering revelations. It's just catching up, which we haven't done for a minute because of this thing called life...and the reality that she lives just North of West Nowhere.
First tip. Get the benigets! They call them biscuit benigets, but don't be fooled. They're light and airy, coated in powdered sugar and served with this jelly concoction. Serve swore she could eat the whole plate of them if pressed, and after tasting one I couldn't blame her. They're a great starter. My dining companion, who is vegetarian, or pescatarian, or something that makes eating out more difficult than necessary, had the Chez B omelette, but opted for regular mushrooms instead of the portobello on the menu. Now this is where you need to pay attention - they're open to substitutions. This means they actually cook the food in the on site and aren't serving prepackaged stuff. A lot of places don't cook onsite. Serve even got the them to make her hot chocolate with milk instead of water. They are on point. I got a Belgian waffle with a side of bacon and eggs. Now this is where they lost me. The bacon is *gasp* baked. I swear I almost got the sausage instead. But the waitress swore up and down I'd love the bacon. I decided to risk it.
The food was good, but not awe-inspiring. The waffle light, but a little soft without the crisp edge I like. The baked bacon, er..pork meat strips, were good, but not go home and try to make it yourself good. And Serve liked her omelette, but it wasn't I think I would have another one even though I shouldn't good. Good enough to take out of town family good. Which is great, because it's very family oriented - lots of kids and families out. The service was excellent though, can't stress that enough. Substitutions and servers willing to do a little bit extra? I think we left a 25% tip, maybe even a skosh more.
Would I go again? Yes. And that is really all the info you need to know.
Yay! Brunch.
So we decide to meet up at Another Broken Egg in Vinings. The restaurant is part of chain and has a location in mid-town as well, but since Serve and I both live on the west side, I figured this was an easier drive. And knowing that there would be a wait of possibly a half hour because Atlanta is a brunch town - and that Serve would be late because the last time few times we did brunch she was late - I went prepared. Making sure the iPad was powered and my Kindle app ready I sallied forth.
The cafe is in a one of those developments that has replaced the mall, you know, a little shopping area with a diverse but carefully homogenized store fronts and odd sized parking lots that allow for shade trees and flowing bushes to hide which spots are taken. It's supposed to encourage walking and fresh air. Bleh. I for one miss the malls and the air-conditioning. Inside the spot is nice though, colorful and surprisingly bright with tables and booths in a L-shaped dining area separated by a free standing bar. It even has a nice veranda on the back which I imagines overlooks one of those wonderfully tricky odd sized parking lots.
I get there and check in, and they have this new app you need to download instead of one of the buzzer things. I'm a little skeptical at first, I hate putting unnecessary crap on my phone, but this one seems useful. It's called NoWait, and it keeps track of the wait times at various local restaurants. It doesn't allow you to check in or anything, but if you're trying to pick a spot I could see where knowing it's a thirty minute wait at Chez Chez La Hongree or that it's an hour at Feed Me Grubhouse would be nice information. Modern technology, eh?
I start reading on the verandah-ish patio space. Serve shows up ten minutes later, well before we're seated - surprising - and we catch up. The usual stuff grown people talk about, career, house, career, plans for the rest of the summer, etc. No, no I'm not smuggling Chinese babies, or want to be a fry cook, or moving to Alaska, nothing like that, no earth shattering revelations. It's just catching up, which we haven't done for a minute because of this thing called life...and the reality that she lives just North of West Nowhere.
First tip. Get the benigets! They call them biscuit benigets, but don't be fooled. They're light and airy, coated in powdered sugar and served with this jelly concoction. Serve swore she could eat the whole plate of them if pressed, and after tasting one I couldn't blame her. They're a great starter. My dining companion, who is vegetarian, or pescatarian, or something that makes eating out more difficult than necessary, had the Chez B omelette, but opted for regular mushrooms instead of the portobello on the menu. Now this is where you need to pay attention - they're open to substitutions. This means they actually cook the food in the on site and aren't serving prepackaged stuff. A lot of places don't cook onsite. Serve even got the them to make her hot chocolate with milk instead of water. They are on point. I got a Belgian waffle with a side of bacon and eggs. Now this is where they lost me. The bacon is *gasp* baked. I swear I almost got the sausage instead. But the waitress swore up and down I'd love the bacon. I decided to risk it.
 |
| Waffle with Eggs. The green stuff is from the Chez B. We ate all the benigets. |
Would I go again? Yes. And that is really all the info you need to know.
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